The ranges, situated in Tughlakabad on the outskirts of Delhi, were to be completed by August this year.

 

It was planned that the venue would host the Commonwealth Shooting Championships in October but the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) requested the Commonwealth Shooting Federation (CSF) change in dates.

 

The event will now be held from February 20 to 28 and will be followed by the World Championships, which are due to take place between March 21 and 29.

 

Baljeet Singh Sethi, the NRAI secretary-general, said: "We had no option but to ask for new dates as the infrastructure will remain incomplete by then.

 

"We are happy that the CSF has accepted our request and given us fresh dates.

 

"The Commonwealth Shooting Championship will now be held from February, which gives us a good four months more.

 

"Organising two events close to each other is not a matter of concern for us.

 

"There is sufficient time."

 

This is not the first event in the run up to the Commonwealth Games that had to be postponed because of a delay in construction work.

 

The Indian Boxing Federation had to request for postponement of the Commonwealth Boxing Championship from November this year to March 2010.

 

Also, the World Badminton Championships, scheduled for August this year, had to be moved to Hyderabad.